Covering element



Sept. 21, 1937. q. A. TOPPING 2,09344 Patented Sept. 2l, 1937 UNlTED STAT- A'rsnr orties f COVERING ELEMENT John A. Topping, Bronxvlle, N. Y.

' Application June 2, 1934, Serial No. 728,632

9 Claims.

This invention relates to covering elements or units of interlockingtype, particularly to units such as individual interlocking shingles, and more especially to covering units of flexible material, such as shingles having a base of fibrous material treated with waterproofing materials.

Interlocking shingles of this kind having generally like-extending side edges heretofore have been used with slits or with slots or with other cuts in the base material, which cuts in some cases have extended from the lower or edge to be exposed of the shingle and in other cases from the side edge or edges of the shingle. In my prior Patent No. 1,592,015 I have disclosed a shingle having slits in the lower edge thereof which form tongues at either side of the slit at each corneri of the shingle. In a roof constructed with such shingles one of said tongues at each corner overlaps the side edge of the interlocked shingle and the other tongue at the other side of the slit underlaps said edge of said interlocked shingle.

I am aware also of shingles having cuts extending'from the side edge of the shingle, some of which cuts extend downwardly from the side edge and form a tongue having a narrower part adjacent the line of joinder with the main portion of the shingle, thus producing a relatively weak tongue, and others are formed by removal of relatively large portions of material, thus weakening the shingle as well as not securing as strong an interlock as is possible.

In the present invention I provide an interlocking shingle having some of the advantages of the shingle of my prior patent but aiording certain improvements thereover aswell as with respect to the prior art. In said` shingle of the present invention I provide a cut, preferably in the form of slit or a relatively narrow slot formed in the material of the shingle and extending from a side edge toward the central or main body portion of the shingle. Because of the manner in which the slit is cut the overlapping tongues are Without sharp points which might 4curl up or break up in handling or under the action of the weather. Proceeding from the side edge the general direction of the cut or the slit is upwardly or away from the transverse edge of the shingle, that is, the edge to be exposed. Moreover, the cut is made adjacent the corner formed by a side edge and said transverse edge so that a tongue is formed between the cut or slit and said transverse edge, which tongue extends laterally from said body portion to the side edge. l

Thus I provide, f or a given coverage of the surface as determined by the side overlap of the shingles in the interlocking arrangement, a relatively long tongue for underlapping the side edge of an adjacent interlocked shingle. This may be of advantage in certain cases in order to obtain, by reason of the long tongue, a more securely interlocked roof construction. On the other hand, using a tongue of a given length I 'may obtain a greater coverage than is possible when the slit intersects the lower edge of the shingle, Aas in the shingle Ofmy'prior patent, because said tongue extends to the side edge of the shingle and therefore the line of joinder with the 'body of the shingle is nearer said edge.

As the general direction of thecut is away from the transverse or exposed edge of the shingle in the direction from the side edge which it intersects, there may be provided a tongue of broader dimension at the line of joinder to the base than at the end of the tongue while maintaining a substantial dimension at said end. Moreover, as the cut or slit intersects the side edge ata point adjacent to butremove'd'from the corner of the shingle the general form of the tongue may be that which affords no sharp angles or points. laying tongues is improved and its capacity for holding down ,the shingle without tearing or without pulling out from under the interlocked shingle is increased.

A further feature of my invention relates tothe form of the cut itself. By forming the cut so that it extends inwardly from the side edge but bends orcurves upwardly, that is, away from the transverse edge or edge to be exposed,` the feature of a broad inner portion of the tongue adjacent the line of joinder withvthe body of the shingle is retained as is also the form of the outer end of the tongue without sharp angles. In addition, however, it is possible to avoid sharp angles and points upon that portion of the shingle on the upper side of the cut and between the cut and the side edge which overlaps the adjacent interlocked shingle. Moreover, the bent or curved form of the cut makes possible the easy l flexure of the outer end of the tongue for insertion under the edge of the adjacent shingle. The tongue as a whole, therefore, may be slipped under the adjacent edge with less warping of the shingle and with the need of less skewing of drawing. In general the cut extends inwardly from the side edge and preferably makes approximately a right angle with said side edge at the point of intersection, although within limits this angle may be other than a right angle. The cut then bends or curves upwardly or away from the transverse or lower edge when proceeding in the direction toward the central or main body portion of the shingle.

While broadly within the scope of my invention are included shingles of interlocking type having an edge to be exposed or lower edge transverse to a side edge, which transverse edgeV extends coursewise of the assembly of shingles upon the structure with the side edge extending generally upwardly or in some cases at Vright angles to said lower edge, preferably my invention applies to shingles having two such side edges to which the lower edge extends generally transversely or at right angles. In such shingles I therefore may provide a cut or slit made in relation to each side edge as described above and extending in opposite directions toward each other, that is, toward the central portion of the shingle. In most cases I prefer to make the cuts in symmetrical relation to the side and lower edges.

By using the form of cut as above described 1't is usually unnecessary to provide button holes or terminal openings at the inner ends of the cuts or slits in order to accommodate the thickness of the interlocked shingle. The bend in the cut used in my invention may provide suiiciently for the flexure of the shingle body to secure this accommodation.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows one form of the shingle of my invention.

Figure 2 shows a modiiied form of the shingle of the invention.

Figure 3 shows an assembly in interlocking arrangement of the shingles illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows another modification of the invention.

In the particular embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 the shingle I is of rectangular shape. In practice one dimension of the rectangle may be greater than the other, the longer dimension being that of the side edges 2 and 3 of the shingle and the shorter dimension being that of the transverse or lower edge 4 thereof. While the invention is not limited to a particular size of shingle or to shingles of rectangular form, in the particular embodiment illustrated the long dimension ofthe rectanglemay, for example, be 18 and the transverse edge 16". At points 6 and 8 removed 'respectively from the corners I0 and I2 formed by the side edges and the lower edge of the shingle, cuts I4 and I6 intersect respectively the side edges 2 and 3. The points 6 and 8 maybe, for example, 11/2 or 2" removed from the respective corners I 0 and I2.

In the form illustrated in Figure 1l the cuts I4 and I6 are made with portions I8 and 20 extending generally parallel to the lower or transverse edge 4 of the shingle. The length of these portions of the shingle, for example, may be approximately 11/2" although this dimension may be varied. From the inner ends of the portions I8 and 20 of the cuts I4 and I6 respectively tlie cuts have portions 22 and 24 extending at an angle respectively tothe portions I8 and 20 and upwardly and toward. the Central or main body portion of the shingle. The angle which these portions 22 and 24 make with the portions I8 and 28 or with the lower edge 4 may be varied but the portions 22 and 24 of the cuts may extend to a point removed respectively from the side edges 2 and 3, for example, about 3". The distance of these points from the lower edge 4 may, for example, be 21/2 to 3".

In the particular embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 the cuts I4 and I6 are made as slits in the body of the shingle without removal of any material therefrom and such cuts may be made with a simple cutting knife mounted in apparatus commonly used in shingle manufacture.

The bend formed in the slits I4 and I 6 not only provides a broad portion on the lines of flexure or joinder 26 and 28 where the tongues I5 and I'I `ioin the main or central portion of the body of the shingle but makes possible the intersection of the portions I8 'and 20 with the side edges 6 and 8 of the shingle approximately at right angles thereto so as to form the tongues I5 and I'I each with substantially square corners at their outer ends. Also the portions of the shingle above the cuts I4 and I6 are provided with square corners at the side edges and a corner of obtuse angle between the portions I8 and 22 of the cut I4 and 20 and 24 of the cut I6. Thus these portions of the shingle which overlap upon the interlocked shingle, as may be seen from Figure 3, have no sharp points or acute angles which may readily curl up or break off under the action of the weather or other forces.

The modification shown in Figure 2 maintains the features described in connection with Figure 1 as to the formation of the cuts 30 and 32 of a form intersecting the side edges 2 and 3 of the shingle at such angles as to avoid acute angles or sharp points. In the particular embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, however, the cuts 3E! and 32 are formed as curves extending inwardly from the side edges and curving upwardly away from the lower edge 4 of the shingle. As a modication of the form of the cut these cuts 30 and 32 are made as narrow slots by removal of a limited amountof material of the body of the shingle. In some cases where relatively thick shingles are used it may be advantageous to use this form of the cut in order more readily to accommodate the thickness of the shingle. The curved form, if desired, however, may as well be used when the slit is made without removal of the material of the shingle as described in connection with Figure l.

It will be noted that similarly to the shingle of Figure 1l tongues 34 and 36 are provided in the form illustrated in Figure 2, which tongues join the main body portion of the shingle upon lines of ilexure or joinder 38 and 40. The tongues 34 and 36 thus may be formed with a broad inner portion and may have their outer ends of substantial dimension and with the avoidance of sharp corners.

Likewise, the portion of the shingle above the slots 3U and 32 may be formed withshingle is held down rmly because said tongues I5 and I'I provide a substantial area which is 'overlapped by the adjacent shingles. Moreover, the portions of the shingle which lie immediately above the cuts I4 and I6, which portions in the assembly become a substantial part of the lower or exposed portion of the shingle, present no sharp pointed portion or portions with acute angles which may blow up or curl up under the action of the weather.

It will be noted from Figure 3 that the nails may be driven in the shingles near either side thereof. They may be placed in such a relation thereto and to the desired exposure of the shingles that the tongues I5 and I'I may bear against these nails when the shingle with which said adjacent shingles are interlocked is drawn upwardly by sliding along the edges 2 and 3 of said adjacent shingles. By using suitable marks upon the shingle units in the well known manner, the position of the shingle being laid may be determined by drawing the tongues up against the nails. While this feature of the method of laying has been used heretofore, the tongues of the shingle of my invention have such a form as better to withstand the strain and to limit the motion of the shingle when it is pulled up thus to determine its correct position when the tongues bear against the nails. This is made possible by the broad inner portion of the tongues and the fact that the outer portion of the tongue has a substantial dimension rather than a sharp point such as heretofore has been provided by cuts formed as straight lines with the edge of the shingle. It will be understood also that the advantages which have just been described with respect to the form of the tongues of Figure 1 is also obtained with the form of the tongues 34 and 36 of Figure 2.

While the invention has been described above in connection with embodiments in Which the cuts or slits intersect the side edges of the shingle at substantially or approximately right angles, both the form of the slit and the angle at which it intersects the side edges may be varied within certain limits while securing the broad inner portion of the tongue provided by the upwardly extending form of the slit and also the substantial dimension of the outer end of the tongue and the general avoidance of sharp or acute angles side edges in a direction inclined slightly downward, the portions 58 and 60 extending respectively from the inner ends of portions 54 and 55 upwardly to form the broad inner portions of the tongue. As in the other embodiments it will be noted that the substantial dimensions of the end of the tongue and the broad area of the inner portion of the tongue are maintained while avoiding sharply pointed portions upon the portions above the slits 52 and 54 which will be exposed by being overlapped upon the adjacent interof the nterlocked shingles.

locked shingles. Although in this form a more acute angle or point is made on the tongue where the lines 54 and 56 intersect the side edges, it will be noted that these points will be under the sides The easy iiexure of the outer portion of the tongue as referred to above is also possible in this form of the shingle of the invention.

f 'Ihe angle which lines 54 andv 56 respectively make with the lines 58 and 60 of the slits, may be varied within certain limits while forming obtuse angles. The obtuseness may be reduced by suitably modifying the angularity of the lines 54 and 56 with the side edges while still retaining the form of tongues providing the features above described. Preferably the angle respectively between said lines 54 and 56 and the lines 58 and 6B is made not substantially less than a right angle. Moreover, the slits may ybe made as curves, as in Figure -2, while obtaining the general form shown in Figure 4.

Other modifications may be made within the scope of the invention to obtain shingles embodying the features and havingv the advantages described above.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

l. A shingle of interlocking type having two like-extending side edges and an edge to be exposed extending transversely to said side edges, said shingle having a. cut extending from each side edge inwardly and upwardly toward the central portion of said shingle and each forming with said transverse edge a tongue extending laterally from the main portion of the shingle toward a side edge.

2. A shingle of interlocking type having two like-extending side edges and an edge to be exposed extending transversely to said side edges, said shingle having a cut extending from each side edge inwardly toward the central portion of said shingle and each forming with said transverse edge a tongue extending laterally from the main portion of the shingle toward a side edge, at least one of said cuts being formed with an outline bending away from the transverse edge in the direction from the side edge toward the central portion of the shingle.

3. A shingle of interlocking type having two like-extending side edges and an edge to be eX- posed extending transversely to said side edges, said shingle having a cut extending from each side edge inwardly toward the central portion of said shingle and each forming with said transverse edge a tongue extending laterally from the main portion of the shingle toward a side edge, said cutsy each being formed of two connected portions the inner one of which extends at an angle upwardly with respect to the outer portion thereof. v

4. A shingle of interlocking type having tw like-extending side edges and an edge to be exposed extending transversely to said side edges, said shingle having a cut extending from each side edge inwardly toward the central portion of said shingle and each forming with said transverse edge a tongue extending laterally from the main portion of the shingle toward a side edge, said cuts each being formed with a portion extending generally parallel to said transverse edge and a portion extending from the inner end of said first portion laterally but upwardly toward the central portion of the body of the shingle.

5. A shingle of generally rectangular shape having a cut extending from each side edge thereof inwardly toward the central portion of the body of the shingle, said cuts each intersecting the respective side edges at a point removed from but near the adjacent corner of the shingle formed by the side edge and the edge to be exposed of the shingle to form a laterally extending tongue between said cut and said edge to be exposed, said cuts each being formed with an outline bending away from the edge to be exposed in the direction from the side edge toward the central portion of the shingle.

6. A shingle of interlocking type having an edge to be exposed and a side edge extending transversely to said edge to be exposed, said shingle having a cut extending from said side edge toward the central portion of said shingle and of an outline bending away from said edge to be exposed in the direction from the said edge toward the central portion of the shingle, said cut forming with the edge to be exposed a tongue extending laterally from the central portion of the shingle toward said side edge thereof.

7. A shingle of interlocking type having two like-extending side edges and an edge to be exposed extending transversely to said side edges, said shingle having intersecting each side edge a cut formed without removal of a substantial amount of material from the body of the shingle, each of said cuts being formed at such an angle with respect to the side edge which it intersects as to form therewith upon that portion of the shingle which will be overlapped and exposed upon an adjacent shingle having its side edge set in said cut an angle not less than a right angle, said cut being so formed that it bends away from said transverse edge in a direction from the side edge toward the central portion of the shingle, said cut forming with said transverse edge and said side edge a tongue extending toward the side edge of the shingle from the main portion of the shingle and having a broader connection to the main portion of the shingle than the portion of the tongue adjacent the side edge.

8. A shingle of the class described, said shingle rectangular in form, and means for interlocking said shingle with others of its kind, said means being a diagonal slit extending inwardly and upwardly from each side and from near the butt end of said shingle.

9. A shingle of interlocking type having an end edge to be exposed and a side edge extending transversely to said end edge, said shingle having a cut not intersecting said end edge but extending in a direction from said side edge inwardly and upwardly toward the central portion of said shingle to form with said end edge a broad-based tongue extending toward said side edge of the shingle.

JOHN A. TOPPING. 

